


Just An Old Sweet Song

by orphan_account



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Engagement, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, Grief, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mourning, Surrogacy, Swawesome Santa 2016, Wedding, hockey injury, parent Zimbits, pregnancy loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 17:38:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8762602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: They're happy.  Mostly.  Content and satisfied with their lives, but it doesn't mean they don't want more--dream of more.  And it's not just the destination that matters, but the journey that gets them there.  Jack and Eric will have their happy ending, even if it hurts along the way.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [auntiesuze](https://archiveofourown.org/users/auntiesuze/gifts).



> Written for the lovely auntiesuze whose request was fluff, and possibly parent Zimbits. I hope this satisfies, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
> 
> Special shout-out to my hard-working betas who took the time to look this over. This fic wouldn't be the way it is without your work. You are the best.
> 
> Warnings for this fic: Deals with an early pregnancy loss during surrogacy, and the grief that comes with it- which might come across a bit raw so if that's a trigger for you, please take caution. 
> 
> Fic title taken from Georgia On My Mind

It started with a phone call. An emergency if you will.

“Marty’s wife just went into labour,” Jack said. His breath was coming in puffs from his run on the elliptical. “Her parents can’t get a flight out, they’re in Prague right now. Is there any way…”

“Yes, honey, good grief of course I can.”

“You don’t even know…” Jack began.

“Honey, you just tell Marty to drop Lukas off any time. I just got done with my video so I’m free all afternoon.”

There was a pause, and Bitty could hear the smile in Jack’s voice. “Thanks, bud. I’ll let him know. It euh…might be all night so…”

“This isn’t a first for me, okay, Monsieur Zimmermann? Trust me, I can handle it.”

“Okay. I’ll call you before the game. I love you.”

“Love you too,” Bitty said, and hung up. “Those boys,” he chirped to himself as he rose from the breakfast bar of their expansive kitchen and began to tidy up. Being paid for his vlog now put a little more pressure on Bitty to produce something of substance, instead of just blabbering on about his life and hockey--even if that’s what his fans still liked the best.

He, of course, knew he wouldn’t have gained the popularity if it wasn’t for frequent appearances by Jack and a few other NHL stars, especially in the off season. But it was what it was, and it was something Bitty loved to do. The added bonus of being able to work from anywhere was a relief to them both, in case of the highly unlikely possibility that Jack got traded. 

Jack was out—to his team and to the public—and aside from the occasional disturbances from the more homophobic demographic of players and fans, little had changed. Jack continued to do well, the Falconers continued to make playoffs, and three years after the graduation kiss which changed Bitty’s life, Jack was hoisting the Stanley Cup over his head and posting a picture of himself and Bitty kissing over it on his Instagram. They had a house built near the coast, with an upgraded “gourmet” kitchen for Bitty, a weight room for Jack, and enough space to share with one cat, two fish, and a turtle.

They were happy. Things weren’t perfect, but Bitty couldn’t even begin to envision a better life.

Forty minutes after Jack’s call, a harrowed Marty showed up at Bitty’s door. He looked like he hadn’t slept in days, and Lukas was red in the face, tear-stains across his chubby cheeks.

“Ahoj, Bits,” Marty said. He had been in the states a long time, but his accent was thick now with his stress and exhaustion. “Děkuji. Thank you for this. Nika’s still got a while to go, and we’ve been trying to get a hold of her parents but…”

“Marty,” Bitty said, holding out his arms for Lukas, “it’s fine. We’re going to have a really good time. Right, kiddo?”

Lukas sniffed, but he knew Bitty well, and didn’t hesitate leaning into the other man’s arms. Bitty rubbed the boy’s back as Marty passed off the overnight bag, then ruffled his son’s hair and kissed his cheek. “He’s upset because he can’t see her right now,” Marty said in a low voice. “Just keep him distracted. I’ll text you with updates.”

“I expect immediate pictures the moment that little one is born,” Bitty insisted.

Marty gave a tired but genuine smile. “Of course. Okay, I’ve gotta run. Tell Jack I’ll check in soon. I’ll put the game on and…”

“Don’t you dare,” Bitty warned him. “You focus on that beautiful wife of yours, and your baby. You can get updates later.”

Marty rolled his eyes and sighed, always the Captain, really. He gave Bitty a mock-salute, then headed back toward his car. Lukas sniffed a little, but Bitty squeezed him tight, then shut the door and said, “Okay, you wanna take Captain Kirk out and see if he wants to play?” he said, referring to the turtle, “or bake some cookies?”

At that, Lukas perked up and said in his very small voice, “Cookies!”

Bitty laughed as he made his way into the kitchen. “I thought you might. Come on, I’ve even got frosting and sprinkles.”

*** 

Two hours, and several frosting and sprinkle-covered snaps later, Bitty and Lukas were lounging on the sofa with the game on the TV. Lukas pointed to it a few times, “Daddy!”

And Bitty would just nod and ruffle the boy’s hair. Even though Marty wasn’t on the ice, Lukas was enjoying watching the game and when they zoomed in on Jack and Tater right after Jack’s assist, Lukas bounced on the sofa cushion. “Zimmy! Where Zimmy?”

“Well he’s on the ice, darlin’,” Bitty said. “He’ll be home soon, I promise.”

Which was true, but it would be well after their delivery pizza and very well after Lukas’ bath and bedtime. They had a guest room, but Bitty assumed the boy wouldn’t sleep well, and hadn’t exactly told Jack that Lukas would be rooming in with them. Not that it would be a problem, Bitty reasoned. Jack was far too exhausted after games to get up to anything besides cosy pyjamas and the occasional massage.

Bitty dragged their small cot out of the garage after talking to Jack, and had everything set up for their little houseguest.

The game ended well, Falconers taking it by two points, and when the final horn blew, Bitty talked Lukas into having a bath by promising him one of his galaxy bath bombs.

The boy delighted in the bubbling ball, and the bright colour of the bath water. Bitty got him scrubbed up, then dressed into his Star Wars pyjamas, and soon enough they were snuggled up in Bitty’s bed. “Okay, this is Señor Bun,” Bitty said, taking the stuffed animal from his nightstand. “He protects people from bad dreams. You wanna sleep with him tonight?”

“Okay,” Lukas said sleepily. He snuggled down against Jack’s pillow. “Could you read to me a story?”

Bitty smiled and dug through the overnight bag, finding Princess and the Frog. “Is this your favorite?”

Lukas nodded. “I wanna kiss a fwog.”

Bitty laughed. “Find your prince?”

“Mm yep, I could find a pwince,” Lukas said, his eyes already drifting.

Bitty laughed again, turning to the first page, and by the time he’d gotten through the second, the boy was out. Reaching over, Bitty checked his phone, but the last update from Marty was that Nika was still in labour and it was looking like it would still be a few hours.

He sent a text off, letting Marty know that Lukas was fine, and settled in bed. When he tried to get up, Lukas made a sad little sound, and Bitty’s heart swelled. With a sigh, he settled back in the bed, letting the small boy curl up against his side, and before he knew it, he was drifting.

*** 

When Bitty came to, he opened his eyes to see Jack lifting Lukas and gingerly tucking him into bed on the small cot. Bitty yawned, then whispered, “Give ‘im Señor Bun.”

Jack smiled, taking the stuffed rabbit and easing it under the boy’s covers. Jack was already showered and dressed for bed, so Bitty quickly pulled on his own flannel bottoms and t-shirt, and curled into Jack’s warm arms.

“Good game, sweetheart,” Bitty muttered against Jack’s shoulder.

Jack’s fingers brushed through Bitty’s hair. “Thanks. It wasn’t bad.”

Bitty snorted a quiet, sleepy laugh. Jack could have won the game single-handedly, with the other team scoring nothing, and he’d still find a way to think of how they could have done it better. Bitty had long-since learned to stop expecting different. “M’glad. Lukas and I had a good night.”

“Seemed like it. Cute snaps,” Jack said, then yawned. “Hey Bits?”

Bitty turned his face up, letting his lips graze along the underside of Jack’s chin in a half-kiss. “Mm?”

There was a pause, like Jack wanted to say something, but then he shook his head. “Ça fait rien. We’ll talk in the morning.”

“You sure?” Bitty asked.

Jack squeezed him, then dipped his head low to capture Bitty’s mouth in a gentle kiss. “Positive. Nothing important.” Another pause, then, “I love you so much.”

Bitty chuckled softly. “I love you too.”

*** 

Bitty woke when he felt eyes on him, and when he blinked his own open, he saw fierce, toddler-blue staring back. He was half expecting it, so he only startled a little, and grinned as he pushed his blankets back. The other half of the bed was empty, meaning Jack had gone for his run, so Bitty swung his legs off the side of the bed and stretched.

“Morning kiddo. Sleep okay?”

Lukas nodded, taking Bitty’s hand in his and tugging him toward the door without saying anything.

Bitty ruffled his hair, then let the boy lead him to the kitchen where he started to rummage round for food. “What are you hungry for? Pancakes?” He looked over at Lukas who was shaking his head no. “Okay. How about…French toast?” Also a no. “Eggs?” That got a quiet yes, so Bitty set the boy up on one of the barstools, sliced up a banana, and poured a glass of juice while he got the eggs going.

After the boy had a bit of food in him, he asked, “Where Zimmy?”

“Gone for a run,” Bitty said, pushing the button on the coffee pot. “He’ll be back soon.”

Lukas kicked his legs back and forth, then asked, “Mama haff a baby?”

Bitty’s eyes widened. “Oh lordy, I didn’t even check my phone!” Just then, the front door slammed, and Jack came round the corner with a small grin.

“Good morning,” he said, kissing Bitty before Lukas demanded to be picked up. “Breakfast?” He tucked Lukas on his hip, grinning as the boy laid his head on Jack’s shoulder.

“Yep. Keep an eye on those eggs, I need to see if Marty texted.” Jack shouted something as Bitty ran off, but Bitty paid no mind. He slipped into the bedroom and grabbed his phone off the charger.

Sure enough, there was a handful of texts from Marty. Nika had been rushed into an emergency c-section after several hours, and eventually their daughter was born. Marty’s last text was a selfie of him holding the small bundle, wrapped in a yellow blanket. The caption read, _Petra Doubek_.

Bitty took a moment to bask in the cuteness before he sent his congratulatory texts. **When do you want us to bring Lukas by? Can he meet his sister?**

_Nika’s parents will be here tonight, if you want to come by and see the baby. They can take him home after. Thank you again, Bitty._

**Any time, Marty, you know that. He was a dream, as always. Go get some rest and kiss that beautiful wife of yours for me. We’ll see you this evening.**

When Bitty came back into the kitchen, Jack was plating the eggs and putting bread into the toaster. He glanced over his shoulder and grinned at his boyfriend. “You saw the photo?”

Bitty laughed. “Yes. I was a little slow this morning, but goodness she’s so cute!” He turned to Lukas who was stirring his orange juice with a spoon. “You have a new sister.”

Lukas looked up. “Okay.”

“And you’re gonna see your daddy and mama tonight, okay?”

At that, Lukas looked a lot happier, so Bitty let him take his eggs and toast into the living room to watch some cartoons.

Bitty skipped the eggs, but had toast, and leaned on the counter to sip his coffee as Jack slid up next to him. Bitty looked up, taking a moment to appreciate the casual beauty that was Jack Zimmermann. He was relaxed here, not thinking about games, not worrying about what was coming next. This was Bitty’s favourite Jack.

When their eyes met, Jack’s smile widened, and he leant down to kiss Bitty softly. “Morning.”

“You said that already,” Bitty chirped quietly, without leaning back.

Jack chuckled. “Ah.”

Bitty sighed, and pushed his face against Jack’s arm. “Honey, wasn’t there something you wanted to tell me?”

Jack frowned, then stood up a little straighter. “Ah. Yeah, but we can talk later. Maybe after we drop off Lukas?”

Bitty nodded, but his brows dipped. “Of course but sweetheart, but you’re starting to worry me.”

Jack pushed his hand against the back of Bitty’s neck and rubbed. “It’s nothing bad, I promise. I was just…thinking about a few things. Wanted to know what you thought, but since we have a guest…” Jack gestured to the small boy who was now smooshing scrambled eggs into their rug.

Bitty sighed. “Lordy. I’ll take care of it. You go on and get your shower.”

Jack laughed, then kissed Bitty once more and left him to deal with the mess.

*** 

They arrived at the hospital after Marty texted, and Bitty immediately rushed over to the small cot to coo over the small baby inside while Jack greeted his teammate. Lukas was passed to his mother first, then his father, and eventually his grandparents who hovered off to the side—a bit awed, it seemed, by what was likely a never-ending stream of visitors from the NHL.

Marty looked exhausted, but came up and clapped Bitty on the shoulder. “Pick her up, go on.”

With ginger hands, Bitty lifted the small baby from the cushion she was laying on. She was heavier than she looked, solid weight in his arms as he cradled her. He slid down on the window seat, and smiled when Jack eased himself down next to him.

“Look how small she is. Literally how does something exist this small.”

“She didn’t feel small over the last month,” Nika chirped tiredly from her bed.

Bitty looked up and laughed quietly. “I’ll bet she didn’t. She didn’t look too small, either.”

Marty kissed his wife on the forehead as she laid back against the pillows and sighed. “You two look good like that,” she said after a minute. “Marty, take a picture.”

Bitty flushed and looked up at Jack almost nervously, only to see a faint, easy smile on his face. Bitty shifted closer as Jack put his arm round him, and they heard the shutter sound go off. The baby startled a bit, pulled a crying face, then settled back down into Bitty’s arms.

“Here, sweetheart,” Bitty said after a bit. “You take her.”

“Oh euh…I’ve never…I mean it’s only been the bigger ones,” Jack said.

Bitty giggled, and helped Jack get the infant settled in the crook of his arm. When he stepped back, his heart began to thud and he actually got a bit light-headed. Jack looked like a natural. Bitty heard the shutter go off a second time, then his phone buzzed in his pocket.

When he pulled it out, he saw a notification from Marty’s twitter. _@DoubekMarty35: They’re a natural. Everyone ask @omgcheckplease and @NHLZimmboni when they wanna join the hot dads club._

Bitty looked up. “Oh my god.”

Marty laughed and clapped Bitty on the shoulder. “Just a question, Bitty.”

Luckily, Petra chose that moment to start crying, so Bitty passed the baby over, gave Nika a kiss on the cheek, a hug to Marty, then was nearly bowled over by Lukas as they were saying their goodbyes. “You can come over any time you want, okay kiddo?”

Lukas nodded, then hugged Jack before the pair grabbed hands and walked out. When they got to the car park, Jack tugged on Bitty’s hand, slowing his pace. “What did Marty say?”

“Oh, just chirping us in a tweet,” Bitty said, his cheeks pink again. The idea of him and Jack having a baby was the dream. Bitty wanted it so badly, he could almost perfectly see it in their future together. But Jack’s career with the NHL was just getting started, and Bitty couldn’t even consider bringing it up now. They were still so young, there was still so much time.

Jack hummed, but said nothing more as they climbed into the car. As Jack switched it on and twisted around to back out, he laughed. “Lukas left one of his toys in the back.”

Bitty looked and shrugged. “You can just bring it to practice.”

Jack hummed in response. He was silent until they pulled out onto the main road. “You ever think of it, Bits? Car messy with baby toys? Scrambled eggs in all our rugs?”

Bitty felt something hot, too afraid to call it hope, in his gut. “Um. Well. Sure, I guess. Someday. I mean, I know you’re just getting started and…”

Jack looked over at Bitty, his hand straying from the wheel to brush the backs of his knuckles across Bitty’s cheek. “I love you.”

Bitty startled a little. He never felt like there was a shortage of I love yous in his life, but Jack didn’t usually say it this often. Not unless he was on a long roadie and they hadn’t seen each other in weeks. “Jack are you…is…is something wrong? Did something happen?”

“No,” Jack said from behind a tiny sigh. “I just…I’ve been thinking.”

His tone didn’t sound alarming. Bitty didn’t feel like it was _bad_ thinking, but the words still put him on edge. Jack didn’t seem overly keen on talking about it in the car, however, so he let it go until they pulled up to their place and headed inside.

Bitty hung up their coats as Jack went into the kitchen for a drink and came out with two glasses of juice, beckoning Bitty to the sofa. They curled up together, knees knocking, Jack’s arm round Bitty’s waist, Bitty’s head on his shoulder.

In the middle of the floor were a stack of legos they’d forgotten to pack up for Lukas, and a blanket Bitty pulled out of their linen cupboard for the boy to play on. It looked odd, and yet strangely right.

“I love you,” Jack said again.

Bitty pulled away, looking up at his boyfriend. “Yeah honey, I know you do. But you’ve said it an awful lot tonight and I’m starting to worry a little bit. Why don’t you just tell me what’s on your mind?”

Jack’s cheeks went a little pink, and he let out a slow breath. “I want to marry you. You know that, right?”

Bitty did know that. Jack had told him ages ago, but hearing it still gave him that same, shivering thrill it did the first time. “Yes, honey. Yes, I do. And you know I want the same.”

Jack nodded, then reached down, set his glass on the table, and took Bitty’s hand. “Not even halfway through my first year in the NHL I realised just how much more important you were to me than the game. You aren’t even in the same universe as hockey. Hockey is my job, it’s my passion, but you are my life. So when I say I wanna marry you, Bits. It’s because I do. And not just as some distant, vague idea of something we’re going to do in the future.”

“Jack,” Bitty whispered, but it was obvious his boyfriend was not finished.

“We bought this house together and we have our fish and we have Captain Kirk. You stay at home and you bake, and we run together in the mornings, and it’s nice. But it felt like something was missing. Until…until last night.”

Bitty blinked at him, a little confused. Apart from Bitty’s Adventures in Babysitting, nothing had really happened. Nothing different. “Jack, I don’t…”

“I saw you with Lukas in bed and I realised, I want that. And I know we’re young. We don’t need to start now, but I want that. Bitty, I want a family with you.”

There were very few times Bitty could say he was truly rendered speechless, times that Bitty could say with absolute honesty that he couldn’t think of a single damn thing to say. But this was one of those times. His mouth opened, then closed, then opened, and closed again. His eyes blinked, and his fingers twitched where Jack was holding them, but he still couldn’t speak.

“If you don’t want it...” Jack began, a little uncertain.

Bitty cleared his throat and managed to croak out, “No I… _Jack_. Jack, I…do. I mean I always thought…I always figured someday we might…but you want…like, like right now you want…?”

Jack let out a small laugh which sounded almost involuntary, and he tugged Bitty until he was up on his lap, straddling him, his smaller hands splayed against the expanse of Jack’s wide chest. Jack wrapped his fingers around the curve of Bitty’s hips, flexing his hands just enough to touch the swell of his butt.

“Bitty, I love you so much, I’d be happy if we had a family tomorrow. Crisse, yesterday even feels like it’s not soon enough. But I’ll wait. I know this is all new, and it’s a lot, and I wanna marry you first. But, yeah. I think I’m ready now.”

“Oh.” Bitty suddenly felt tears in his eyes, searing hot, almost too much to handle. But he blinked them back and swallowed thickly, tucking his bottom lip in to keep back a sob which was clawing at his throat. Because he was happy. God, he was so happy. He didn’t think it was possible for Jack to render him to this state again and yet, here he was. “Jack,” he managed.

Then they were kissing. Chaste and easy because Bitty couldn’t take much more than that now, and Jack didn’t mind. This was enough. Cupping Bitty’s face, their lips slotting together like they had always belonged that way…it was enough.

“We’ll talk about it later, eh? When…it feels right?”

Bitty nodded, then tucked his face under Jack’s chin and held on tight. “For what it’s worth, sweetheart, because it’s you, it already feels right. But yeah…we’ll figure it out.”

Jack breathed in, held tight, and believed that.

*** 

Bitty was humming along to the soft music on his iPod when his phone chimed with several messages in a row. His first thought was the SMH alumni group chat which still went strong, but he remembered turning off the message alert the night before after Holster “accidentally” uploaded a photo of Rans’ boxer-clad ass.

Normally a flurry of messages like that worried Bitty—especially when Jack was on the ice, but it was just pre-season warmups, so he took his time swiping his hands off before picking up his phone.

He regretted his decision the moment he read the texts. They were from Snowy, which immediately set off alarm bells.

**Jack was hurt, wants me to tell you he’s fine.**

**But it’s not great. Concussion, they think.**

**He says don’t come down here, he’ll call you soon.**

**I didn’t see what happened, but looks like a broken skate.**

**Tater went with him for the scan. Just texted, he’s gonna be there a few hours.**

**When you get this, probably give him a call. He should be able to answer. Probably no screens.**

Bitty gave himself exactly five deep, shaky breaths to try to calm himself down before dialling up Jack’s number. It rang six times before it went voicemail. Then he took another few deep breaths, counted to sixty twice, then hit the call button again. This time after three rings, a voice picked up, sounding groggy, but very alive, and very clearly Jack.

“Bittle.”

Bitty rolled his eyes. “I just got the messages from Snowy. Are you okay?”

“Non,” Jack growled. “Fais chier putains de journée de marde…”

“I already know it can’t be good if you’re swearin’ at me in French,” Bitty said, slight caution in his voice.

Jack breathed in, then muttered something to someone else who was in the room with him before he came back to Bitty. “Something was wrong with my skate, I didn’t notice until I got on the ice. I ignored it. Marde, I was so stupid. I was doing suicides with Marty and I went down against the boards and hit my head on the ice. Mild concussion.”

This wasn’t Jack’s first. Probably wouldn’t be his last, but they were never easy and each one was more dangerous than the last. Players had been retired for less, Bitty knew, and he didn’t know what Jack would do if he was out of the game so young, for something so small.

“How long til you’re out, baby?” Bitty asked quietly. “I’ll come get you.”

Jack inhaled sharply like he wanted to argue, but in the end just sighed and gave Bitty the time, and the room number he was in. Bitty quietly reminded Jack he loved him, ended the call, then sank to the kitchen floor and let himself shake apart for exactly two minutes and nine seconds.

It was all he could allow. Bitty could weather injured Jack, but it was only because he could keep iron-tight control over himself. A steady mantra of, “He loves me, this doesn’t mean anything,” whenever Jack got frustrated was what got them through it.

So, it would be just like any other time. And that was fine.

He arrived at the hospital half an hour later to find Jack already being loaded into a wheelchair. “They said it’s not bad,” Jack said immediately, looking at Bitty’s worried face. “So long as I don’t have any serious symptoms between now and Monday, I’ll be cleared for practice again.”

Bitty bit his lip against the argument that wanted to spill out. Instead he leant in, kissed Jack on the tip of the nose, then hurried along after the nurse who was pushing them all into the elevator. Bitty quickly brought the car round to the loading zone, and Jack eased into it. When the door shut, and Bitty put the car into drive, Jack reached over and gripped Bitty’s thigh.

“I’m sorry I scared you.”

Bitty shook his head, squeezing Jack’s wrist. “Snowy texted, I got all the info. That’s all I can ask for, sweetheart.”

Jack let out a tiny breath, then said, “I hate how much my job makes you worry.”

Bitty swallowed a little thickly as he pulled through the car park, then out onto the main road. It took him a minute to formulate what to say and how to say it, because he knew Jack. And for all that he was being reasonable, his temper could be a hair trigger when his playability was at stake.

“Never forget,” Bitty began, “that I met you playin’ hockey. I know exactly what risks there are in this game, Jack. I’m not…I can’t not worry,” he said with a sigh, “but I trust you.”

Jack leant his head back against the headrest and stared at Bitty. He reached over, slow and steady, and curled his fingers against the back of Bitty’s neck, his fingertips grazing the shorn hair. “Sometimes I think about our children. I never really worried about my dad. Not…not the way he worries about me.”

Bitty laughed. “I think that’s normal, honey.”

Jack offered a tiny smile. “I never asked him, but I think after I was born, he worried more about himself. He must have been thinking what it would be like for me, if the worst happened. He stopped playing so risky when I was born. I was a baby when he got his last cup.”

Bitty sucked his bottom lip into his mouth and gnawed on it. “I think that…makes sense.”

“I thought maybe I wanted to take my risks first,” Jack continued. “I thought maybe if we had a child, it meant I wouldn’t let myself play as hard as I need to, to win what I want to win.” Jack dragged his fingers further up Bitty’s hairline, then back down again. “Only when I was laying there for my scan I started thinking, what if I make a mistake, and never get the chance to have a baby with you. What would be worse.”

“Jack,” Bitty whispered.

“No one likes thinking about their mortality,” Jack continued, as though Bitty hadn’t spoken. “But there are things I don’t want to miss out on. And I think in the very end, I know which one I’d regret not taking a chance with most.”

“What are you…?”

“I want to get married and have a baby,” Jack said. “Mary me, Bits. Make it official. I know I should have…I should have got a ring and proposed the right way, but hopefully you’ll forgive me because you know…I’m concussed.”

Bitty’s heart was fit to burst right out of his chest, and he only barely managed to tear the car into a supermarket car park before he leapt on Jack. “You’re so lucky you’re injured,” he murmured between kisses. “You’d be in so much more trouble if you weren’t.”

Jack laughed, holding Bitty by the hips, trying to take the kissing as easy as he was supposed to with his head injury. “Is all this kissing…does that mean yes?”

“You’re an idiot,” Bitty mumbled.

“An idiot who would really like to hear you say it.”

Bitty pulled back, cupped Jack’s cheek with one hand, the other holding him by the chin as their gazes locked, unmoving. “Yes, Jack Zimmermann. I will marry you.” He put his hand on Jack’s chest and turned his nose up. “I’m keepin’ my name, though.”

Jack laughed and stroked his thumb just under Bitty’s bottom lip before coaxing him into one more kiss. “Wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Bitty let himself bask for a minute, then he carefully slid back over to the wheel and straightened himself up. “Do you…want to talk about the rest of it?” When Jack raised a brow, Bitty said, “I…might have looked into all of our options. Surrogacy, adoption, all that. And some of it can take…a long time. So even if we get married in a year…”

“Four months,” Jack said, startling Bitty.

“What?”

“We get our break in December, and I want to marry you then. If we go into Playoffs, I want to do it as your husband.”

Bitty’s throat went so tight, he couldn’t speak for several breaths. “Okay,” he whispered finally. “Okay I…yeah. Okay.”

Jack grinned, and took Bitty’s hand in his, playing with his fingers. “We can talk about the rest this weekend. When I’m cleared for screens, you can show me everything you looked up.”

Bitty stared at Jack’s long fingers, the calloused pads tracing the lines of his palm and he thought, _This is actually happening. This is my life. I’m gonna marry Jack Zimmermann and we’re going to have a baby._ As he fought back tears, he wished he could go back and tell the eighteen year old Eric Bittle who curled up and cried in his dorm room over the harsh words of Captain Jack that it was going to get so, so, so much better.

*** 

Jack was cleared to go back to work the following Monday, and he did so with a head full of information regarding the future he never envisioned, and never knew he wanted.

It led to him being vaguely distracted, which he was chirped mercilessly for, and it was Thirdy who eventually got him to crack. Jack was half-changed in front of his stall when he was unceremoniously sat on by the massive Assistant Captain.

“So. Are you going to tell us? Or are we going to have to beat it out of you? Snowy already has his goalie pads ready.”

Jack rolled his eyes and shoved at Thirdy, but the man refused to move. “Fine,” he said. “But I’m still concussed so if you make it worse before the first game, it’s on your head.”

“I think the coach will forgive us,” Marty said, leaning on his own stall.

Jack sighed, then rolled his eyes toward Marty. “This is mostly your fault, you know.”

Marty raised a brow. “I’ve been at home with screaming, shitting, colicky baby. There’s nothing I could have done to…whatever it is you’ve got going on.”

Jack’s mouth quirked and found himself startled by how appealing the idea of shitting, screaming, colicky baby actually was. “Eric and I are getting married.”

There was a silence so profound, you could have heard a pin drop. Then Tater shouted, “Zimmboni finally not our little boy anymore,” and the entire locker room erupted into chirps.

Jack was shaken and jostled—lightly as he was still concussed—and when it finally died down, Marty demanded, “How the fuck is that my fault?”

“Because I came home to my boyfriend asleep in our bed with your kid and realised that your tweet made sense.”

Marty’s face softened. “Ah fuck, man. Fuck.”

“Holy shit,” Thirdy said, elbowing Marty. “Are you gonna fucking cry?”

“I might,” Marty chirped back. “That’s some quality, Grade-A Lifetime Movie Network shit right there.”

Jack laughed, and continued dressing now that he wasn’t being sat on or bodily accosted. “It’ll be over our winter break, so I expect everyone there.”

In the end, Jack promised them all invites, and said it would be a small affair, in the states since he was a resident and it would make it easier on Eric to have a marriage in the US. His uncle Mario offered up his estate in Pittsburgh which wasn’t a far drive, and though that was as far as the planning got, everyone was excited.

Jack was in a decent mood, even whistling to himself as he came in the door, and when he saw Bitty stood at the counter working on their dinner, he swept him up into an embrace, kissing him against the fridge.

“Not that I mind,” Bitty said, a little breathless, “but why?”

Jack hummed. “Are you saying I can’t just be overwhelmed with love for you?”

“After all these years?” Bitty chirped.

Jack laughed and dipped in for another kiss. “After all these years.”

Bitty rolled his eyes, cupping Jack’s cheek. “You can, but I know you’re lying.”

Jack huffed, then pushed his forehead against Bitty’s. “The guys noticed I was a little off my game and eventually weaselled the wedding announcement out of me.”

Bitty laughed, shoving Jack away. “I never thought I’d see you whistling over wedding plans,” he said as he went back to dressing their roasted chicken.

Jack slipped his arms round Bitty’s waist from behind, keeping his grip loose so Bitty could still work. “Neither did I. Then I met you.”

“Goodness,” Bitty said, his words a little tense. “If you’re tryin’a win favours…”

Jack carefully spun Bitty, and his gaze was serious now. “Eric…I’m so happy. I’m allowed to be happy that I found you. I’m allowed to be happy that you love me back enough to marry me and have a family with me, okay?”

“I know,” Bitty said, his eyes a little glassy. “I do know, and believe me I still have to pinch myself sometimes to remind myself I’m not dreamin’. It’s still a wonder that Jack ‘Eat More Protein’ Zimmermann, wants to marry me.”

Jack sighed, but he was grinning. “Will I ever live that down?”

Bitty gave his cheek a pat. “Maybe on your deathbed. Now go on and sit yourself down. Dinner won’t be ready for another forty minutes.”

Jack stole a last kiss before wandering into the living room and flopping onto their sofa. He looked around and realised that this might not be their forever—this house, this place. That kitchen might be just the first of many he watched Bitty cook their dinner in. Some day their house might be bigger, or smaller, it might be full of toddler toys, and eventual teenage angst.

But what was forever was the sounds of Bitty in the kitchen. The promise of warm arms and soft kisses when he needed them most. Jack suddenly realised his chest was aching with the need to have Bitty as his husband. Four months was the only way they’d have time for it, but it felt like four months too long.

When Bitty finally strolled into the living room, Jack grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him down. Bitty giggled as he settled on Jack’s lap, his cheeks going pink—even after all these years—when Jack held him by the butt.

“I’m gonna marry you,” Jack said.

Bitty blinked, his eyes going wide, his cheeks going even darker. His hand went to his mouth, fingertips pressing against his parted lips and he sucked in his breath, like he was realizing it for the first time. “Jack. You’re gonna marry me.”

Jack couldn’t stop his grin or his laugh as he brought one hand up to Bitty’s cheek, and guided him into another kiss. It was slow and languid, and just shy of desperate as Bitty fisted his fingers into the front of Jack’s shirt. Their noses brushed together a little too hard, and Jack fought back a visceral desire to all-but devour Bitty.

“I love you,” he muttered. “Je suis fou de toi. Je ne peux pas vivre sans toi. Je veux être avec toi pour toujour. Veux-tu m'épouser.”

Bitty laughed against his mouth, pulling back just far enough to nuzzle their noses together. “Yes, honey. You can ask me in any language you want, and the answer is yes. Yes. Oui. I’m gonna marry the heck out of you.”

Jack smiled, lifted Bitty by the waist, and carried him back to their bedroom.

*** 

The next four months were the usual hockey grind for Jack. He was grouchy during roadies, frustrated by losses, and stressed after wins because for all that he’d come to realize hockey wasn’t everything, he was still Jack Zimmermann and hockey was still at least half of who he was.

But Bitty was as understanding as ever—ready to reign Jack in when his attitude was getting too difficult, and there to soothe his wounds when he needed it. On the sidelines, Bitty was working with Alicia and Bob to plan the wedding. Mario was lending the property, which was enough to accommodate everyone they wanted to invite, and Bitty had the tense conversation with his parents about who in the family might show up.

“Well your MooMaw wouldn’t miss it,” Suzanne said, leaning on her kitchen counter, staring at Bitty through the laptop screen. “But you know your dad’s family. They’re uh…well sweetheart they…”

Bitty sighed, shaking his head and waving off his mother’s discomfort. “It’s not like I’d want them there anyway,” Bitty replied, though there was a piece of him which stung badly knowing that no matter what, familial love wasn’t enough to overcome the ugly prejudices. “Reckon they’d be even more annoyed to know that it was not just a gay weddin’ but a gay _Jewish_ weddin’.”

Suzanne blinked. “Oh. Are you two um…”

“It’s important to him,” Bitty said, because it was. Jack had requested it, and his parents had already gotten permission from their Rabbi to include a lot of the usual traditions even though Bitty wasn’t Jewish.

Suzanne looked mildly uncomfortable. “Honey, I’m not even sure what…what that means. Is there something your dad and I should do special or…?”

“No,” Bitty said with a half-smile. “You two just show up and try to be happy for me, okay?”

Suzanne softened. “Oh Dicky, I am. Your daddy and I both are. So much.”

Bitty sighed. “I reckon that’s only part true for Coach. I know he wanted…somethin’ different for me.”

Suzanne bit her lip, then said, “Maybe. I can’t lie to you, sweetheart, but he’s tryin’.”

Bitty wanted to tell her that was enough, but he couldn’t bring himself to lie about another thing. So instead he said, “It’ll be real nice, I promise. And soon enough you’ll be holdin’ a grandbaby in your arms and when Coach becomes a PopPop maybe he’ll feel better.”

Suzanne’s eyes went a little misty and she covered her mouth with the tips of her fingers. “Honey I…I can’t wait.”

Bitty grinned back at her. “I know, momma. And neither can I.”

*** 

Chanukah was at the end of November that year, and Jack managed to secure three of the days off, missing only one game so they could fly to Montreal to be with his parents. Bitty by now was familiar enough with the routine. It wasn’t often they got more than a day or two with the Zimmermanns, so Bitty and Jack took full advantage of the family attention, and being able to finalize the plans which they were all-too happy to help with.

Late at night, after they all had full bellies and the boisterous sounds of family and friends were finally winding down, Jack and Bitty sat curled up in the window seat of Jack’s old bedroom. The window was cracked, and it was snowing—just a light dusting over the front gardens. Jack had pulled his heavy, down duvet round both of them, and had Bitty tucked into his chest.

“I got an email from the surrogacy agency,” Bitty said quietly as they watched one of the wrought iron benches fill with snow. “They said they’re gonna send over profiles next week. Will you…will you have time to look?”

Jack sucked in a breath, then pushed his face into Bitty’s neck, speaking against his warm skin. “I’ll make time, chéri. Whenever you need.”

Bitty reached up behind him, his arm at an awkward angle, and dragged his fingers through the freshly shorn sides of Jack’s hair. “We should talk about this, you know? How we want to uh…the options we have, I mean.”

“Mm,” Jack muttered. He lifted his head, and pushed his cheek against the top of Bitty’s head. “What were you thinking?”

Bitty smiled at how thick Jack’s accent was, even only being here a few days, and he suddenly pictured them living here, their baby speaking French and English and sounding just like their papa. He swallowed. “Uh well…we can use a donor egg. I mean obviously a donor egg but we can do an anonymous one. One of us can donate our own sperm, or we both can and try luck of the draw or…”

“Bits,” Jack said quietly. “What do you want?”

Bitty licked his lips. “I want the baby to be biologically yours. I want…I want a baby with your eyes, who has a Québécois accent and can’t pronounce pecan, but says y’all the second the room has more than one person in it.”

Jack chuckled. “I was an ugly baby, Bits. You sure you wanna take that risk?”

“Considering I’m gonna love that baby more than your momma and dad love you? Yeah, I wanna take the risk.” Bitty went quiet, then said, “Remember when Parse’s sister uh…made that comment about Kent lookin’ like me?”

Jack frowned. It had been over the fourth of July and they were drunk for Parse’s birthday—Kaitlyn was there with them and she made a joking comment about how Kent and Bitty looked enough alike that if they used her egg and Jack’s sperm, they could have a kid who looked like both of them. That had been well before any of this had become a reality, before either one of them had given this actual thought. 

“I don’t think she was serious,” Jack said.

Bitty let out a breath. “She um. She was, because I might have contacted her. Just to check, because it’s an option, you know? And she said yeah, she’d be happy to do whatever. I wish I had family I could ask but they’re all…” Bitty trailed off, and Jack ran a hand up and down his arm.

“I know, bud.”

Bitty nodded. “But I like Kaitlyn, and as much as Parse is…well, Parse, he’d be an uncle to the baby no matter what. And if he treats Kit like a princess, I can only imagine what he’s gonna do with a kid related to him.”

Jack was silent, but his mind was going a mile a minute, because this had quickly become an actual reality. By next Chanukah he might be holding his own child in his arms. He didn’t realise his eyes had gone hot and wet, or that his grip on Bitty had gone almost too-tight. It was only when he tried to speak that he realised how overwhelmed he was.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Bitty said, holding Jack tighter, “if it’s too much…”

“It’s a lot,” Jack managed. “It’s…there was a time I wasn’t sure I’d ever have this. Any of it, and not just because of hockey. I thought I’d lost everything, and then you showed up in my life and turned everything upside down and it hurts to think of what it might have been if you’d picked any other college in the US.”

Bitty sniffled a little, and twisted so he was more firmly against Jack’s chest. “I know, baby.”

“So yeah, it’s a lot and I am overwhelmed but…I want it. Call…call Kait and tell her we can take a serious look at things. If she’s really interested then...I say we do it.”

Bitty shifted back to cup Jack’s face. “Happy Chanukah, Jack. I love you so, so much.”

Jack didn’t answer back with more than a kiss, but it was more than enough.

*** 

They got married on a Saturday in Pittsburgh, outside in spite of the snow. Their vows were short but heartfelt, they walked back up the aisle together to Beyoncé, and had their first dance to Halo. Shitty told the story of Jack accosting Bitty in the shower, and Bitty told the story of their first kiss with Shitty interjecting, “He’s since then learnt about enthusiastic consent!”

They ate, welcomed everyone individually, and Jack danced with Kent, who kissed him sloppily on the cheek and told him Jeff was probably gonna propose on the jumbotron to which Jack replied, “Make sure he does it during a game when you’re playing us.”

Kent laughed and then shoved him away. “My sister has something she wants to tell you.”

Then Jack was swept up by Kent’s sister and she pressed her lips to his other cheek and said, “I’m gonna have yours and Eric’s baby. I better at least get a fucking tweet for this.”

Jack laughed and spun her on the dance floor, and when he caught Bitty’s eyes it was clear Bitty already knew. Jack was sure he couldn’t get happier.

*** 

Jack was in New York when he got the text message from Bitty, and he almost dropped his phone into the street as he was reaching for the handle on the cab door.

**Just heard from Kait. Test was positive. Going to dr tomorrow to confirm. She’ll call.**

A second later, Jack got another text from Parse.

_Jesus fucking Christ, Zimms, you’re gonna be a dad. I don’t know if I can handle this. Fuck. Congrats but…fuck_

Jack backed away from the cab and kept backing up and kept backing up until he hit a wall, then slid down to the pavement. Snowy and Tater were on him in seconds, Tater kneeling down and taking him by the shoulders.

“You’re sick? Hurt? You want I call police? Ambulance?”

Jack shook his head, running a trembling hand down his face. “No, I just…I. Eric just texted.”

Snowy raised an eyebrow. “Okay? Did he like…end things or…?”

“Crisse de tabarnak de câlisse.” The laugh Jack let out was half-hysterical as he pushed himself to his feet, then threw up his arm in the air in a vague motion of surrender and said, “Shit. I’m gonna be a dad.”

That night, he didn’t get drunk, but the rest of the team did in his honour. It was obscene, and all over social media by the next day, and Jack wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

***

At three months, the doctors looked Jack, Bitty, and Kaitlyn in the face and said, “Well, it looks like twins.”

Jack and Bitty went home to cry tears of joy and terror, because they had been prepared for one, but two seemed like a lot. “It’ll be okay,” Bitty whispered, though he sounded like he was talking to himself. “We got this. You get another Stanley Cup, and then we get twins.”

At five months, the same doctor—sombre and careful—looked them in the face with the ultrasound wand still splayed across Kaitlyn’s belly and said, “I’m sorry, but it looks like one of the twins hasn’t made it.”

Kaitlyn immediately went quiet, and Bitty’s eyes erupted into silent tears. Jack held him and asked how. How could this happen? 

“There’s no real way to tell,” the doctor explained, putting the wand away. “I can estimate by the ultrasound it likely occurred about three to four weeks ago, right when Miss Parson started to feel ill.”

“Jesus do I…is there something I have to do? Is the other baby going to be okay?” Kaitlyn asked in a half-dead tone.

“The other baby is perfectly fine,” the doctor said, “and this shouldn’t affect it at all. I can let you know the sex if you’d like.”

“Gender is a social construct,” Jack said, because it was the first thing that popped into his head, in Shitty’s voice. It just tumbled from his lips like he had no control, and he looked at Bitty who suddenly smiled, in spite of his tears, and shook his head.

“I love you so unbelievably much, Jack Zimmermann.” Then he rose and threw his arms round Kaitlyn and apologised to her as they both cried.

Jack didn’t let himself feel it, really, until they were alone. He went into robot mode because it was easier than dealing with the hurricane of agony welling in his gut. They treated Kaitlyn to lunch, and when she started to blame herself, Bitty refused to let her wallow.

“Darlin’, even I know these things happen. Even Jack knows, and there isn’t a spare uterus between us. We’ve still got our precious baby in there and it’s all gonna be fine. I swear it.”

She was unconvinced, but Kent and Jeff were staying with her so they felt comfortable taking her back to hers and leaving. Kent hugged them both fiercely outside of the house, holding Jack a little tighter and a little longer than he had Bitty because Kent was Kent and for all that had been between them, he knew Jack better than Jack knew himself sometimes.

“Just let yourself feel it when you get home,” Kent said into his ear. “Let Bitty fuckin’ take care of you, and you take care of him, and be sad together then get over it because you got a baby to welcome home in four months.”

“Thanks, Kenny,” Jack whispered.

When they got home, Jack suggested a shower because it was the only thing he could think of. The moment the warm water hit him, his knees dropped to the tile and he sobbed so hard he couldn’t breathe. His curled fist beat into the bottom of the tub until his knuckles hurt and his gut felt like it was imploding on itself. The sobs wrenched themselves from his throat, making him feel raw and split apart, and like it would never, ever stop.

Bitty just sat next to him with his fingers pressing into the nape of his neck, and when the storm passed, Jack slumped against his side and he said, “It’s gonna hurt forever.”

Bitty kissed him on the temple and said in a thick, wobbly voice, “I know. We should give the baby a name. She existed for a little while. She was ours for a little while.”

Jack nodded, but he couldn’t do it now, so he climbed out of the shower and let Bitty wrap him in his robe they’d stolen from a hotel once on vacation, and they curled up on top of the duvet in the bedroom with the lights dimmed and the TV on in the background.

Jack missed dinner as he slept, and when he woke at two am, unable to sleep again, the pain had faded into a dull ache. He slipped out of the room where Bitty was sleeping, and grabbed a banana from their fruit bowl, moving into the study. He sank into the squashy desk chair Bitty loved so much, and stared at a personalised notepad with faded lettering at the top which read, **Jack and Eric Bittle-Zimmermann**.

Neither of them had changed their names, but Bitty liked to buy stuff that had it hyphenated because he said it went with their aesthetic. Jack never understood what the hell that meant, but now it felt right to grab one of Bitty’s ridiculously expensive ink pens and scribble down, **Maya Bittle-Zimmermann. December 2019-April 2020**

He had a great aunt named Maya. He’d only met her a few times, but each time she saw him, she’d hug him and kiss him and talk to him about everything but hockey. It was the first time during his childhood he had truly felt he was something other than Bad Bob’s Hockey Son. And maybe it was wrong to name the baby, who wouldn’t take a breath in this world, after her, but for some reason Jack thought maybe she’d appreciate it.

He left the paper there on the desk and didn’t say anything about it when he kissed Bitty goodbye that morning. He had a game that night, and it went into OT. He didn’t get home until after midnight, and Bitty was already asleep.

Jack paused by the study and saw the note still there, with Bitty’s neat handwriting underneath.

_Daughter of Eric Richard Bittle, and Jack Laurent Zimmermann. Sister to Miriam Elizabeth Bittle-Zimmermann._

Jack was teary when he crossed out the last name and added, **Zimmermann-Bittle** , in its place.

He washed his face and stripped down to boxers and curled against Bitty’s side. With a sigh, his husband curled back up against him and gave a small, contented hum. Jack wasn’t alright. He wasn’t sure it would ever feel fully alright again, but he felt a little better. Like he could breathe a little easier.

And in a time so short they could count it in weeks, they would be parents.

*** 

Miriam Elizabeth Zimmermann-Bittle made her debut three months and four hours to the day after Jack hoisted his second Stanley Cup over his head, blue and white raining down on the rink floor, Eric’s lips hot against his as he kissed and whispered praises for Jack’s accomplishment.

That moment still fell somewhere short of Bitty agreeing to marry him, of saying his vows, of hearing the words, “You’re gonna be parents.”

And it definitely fell short of stepping into the hospital room and seeing Kait exhausted in a bed, and Kent stood nearby her with a blue and yellow blanket wrapped round the tiniest thing Jack had ever seen in his entire life.

Jack wasn’t sure what to expect, and it wasn’t the first time he’d ever held a baby, but somehow he was suddenly terrified of his own hands and his own arms like they were going to betray him. The baby was too small, too fragile, he should not be trusted.

But then Kent was handing Miram over and Eric was pressed up against his side and Jack was hit by an almost violent wave of emotion, of feeling complete, that it almost knocked him off his feet. Bitty was guiding him back to the little chaise and they managed to squash themselves into it with the baby between them, staring in awe, enjoying this quiet, peaceful moment before all hell broke loose and everyone wanted to get a peek at this baby.

This baby. This wonder. With Jack’s hair and Jack’s chin, and a nose that was gonna look just like Bitty’s and…Crisse, Jack was certain he had never loved anything more in his life.

“Me too,” Bitty whispered, and Jack realised he’d said it aloud.

“Fuck. You two are gonna make me cry,” Kent muttered as he curled up on the bed next to his sister.

“Just wait til it’s your turn,” Bitty chirped as he eased Miriam out of Jack’s arms. Jack felt suddenly empty without her, but he stayed in close to Bitty, tucking arm round Bitty’s waist.

Kent snorted a laugh. “Yeah fuckin’ right. Do you realise how badly I can fuck up a child?”

Jack looked up at him and waited until their gazes connected before he said, “Kent. When it happens for you and Jeff—you’re gonna be amazing.”

“Fuck you, Zimms,” Kent whispered, but they both knew what he was really saying. And, Jack thought as he looked back down at his daughter, they both knew he really meant it.

***

Bitty swiped at his cheek, grimacing at the bit of dried frosting there. His body ached from head to toe, and his ears were still ringing from the party performer they had who had been wailing on his electric ukulele to Wheels on the Bus. The kids had been delighted, and Bitty had smiled through it.

“I can’t believe we did all that for her first birthday,” Bitty groaned as he flopped down against Jack’s stomach. “She’s not even going to remember it.”

“Yeah well, my dad took enough video to turn it into a two hour major motion picture,” Jack grumbled. “So she’ll have memories to look back on.”

Bitty laughed. “I think my momma filled up at least sixteen memory cards. Why are they like this?”

“This was your idea, Bittle,” Jack muttered.

Bitty smacked him on the chest. “You were the one who insisted on the bouncy castle, and the petting zoo, Mr. Zimmermann.”

“I like alpacas,” Jack said, and grinned as Bitty rolled over to kiss him. They both tasted a little like cake, and nachos, and capri suns. “Can we not do that next year? Like…let’s use mama’s idea.”

“What, a Caribbean cruise?” Bitty asked with hope bright in his eyes.

Jack laughed, dragging a knuckle down Bitty’s cheek. “Something like that. Maybe we can just hole up at my parents’ place and let Mimi run round in the mud. She liked that part best of all.”

Bitty groaned. “Yeah but you get to bathe her then. I scrubbed her for twenty minutes tonight and I’m convinced she’s still got hidden pockets of dirt in those little thighs of hers.”

Jack snickered and nuzzled Bitty’s cheek before sleepily throwing his arm round his husband’s stomach. “Was nice though. I’m not sure it was everything I thought it was going to be.”

“What, the party, or parenting?”

Jack pulled back to smile softly. “Parenting. Marriage. I had some idea but…it’s a lot more.”

“Yeah,” Bitty said with a tired laugh. “Not bad though.”

“Definitely not.” Jack reached over, flicking off the light and muttering a small prayer for Miriam’s sugar crash to keep her asleep for most of the night. He had an early skate in the morning—technically optional, though even now those were rarely optional for Jack Zimmermann.

In the dark, Bitty pulled Jack as close as he could manage, and cupped his cheek as he whispered, “I love you, Jack. And I think in any universe, under any circumstances, we will always end up us. Together. Just like this.”

Jack smiled at him, turning his head to kiss Bitty’s palm. “I think so too, Bits. I can’t imagine it any other way.”

Their breathing fell in sync, as it had done so many years ago, and managed to stay that way. In the quiet of the night, with Jack’s hand pressed over Bitty’s heart, Eric whispered, “Me neither, sweetheart.”

Jack mumbled something soft in reply, and after a moment, they both drifted off to sleep.


End file.
